Climber rose plant named ‘LIMprofessorleenean’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Rosa  plant named ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ is disclosed, characterized by late blooming, light pink double flowers with a tea rose fragrance. Plants are vigorous, low climbing, and can be grown on their own roots. The new variety is a  Rosa , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘LIMprofessorleenean’. cl BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION

The new Rosa cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Peter Ping Lim. The objective of the breedingprogram was to produce vigorous new garden rose varieties withcontinuous blooming for ornamental commercial applications. The crossresulting in this new variety was made during June of 2011 inMcMinnville, Oreg.

The seed parent is the unpatented variety Rosa ‘AUSblush’. The pollenparent is the unpatented variety Rosa ‘High Voltage’. The new varietywas selected in June of 2012 by the inventor in a group of seedlingsresulting from the 2011 crossing, in a nursery in McMinnville, Oreg.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been performed byvegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhousein Vista, Calif. in July of 2013 and has shown that the unique featuresof this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in more than 5successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘LIMprofessorleenean’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ as anew and distinct Rosa cultivar:

-   -   1. Double light pink flowers.    -   2. Typical tea-rose flower shape with the central petals        standing higher than the outer petals, forming an inverted        cup-shape.    -   3. Light glossy foliage resistant to black spot and powdery        mildew disease.    -   4. Late blooming.    -   5. Low climbing plant.    -   6. Continues flowering after second year.    -   7. Plants can be grown on their own roots; grafting is not        required.

PARENT COMPARISONS

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ are similar to plantsof the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however,plants of the new cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ differ in thefollowing:

-   1. Flower color of the new variety is a deeper pink than flowers of    the seed parent.-   2. Flowers of the new variety have more petals than flowers of the    seed parent.-   3. Plants of the new variety are about 6 to 7 feet in height at    maturity, while plants of the seed parent are about 4 to 5 feet in    height at maturity.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ are similar to plantsof the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics, however,plants of the new cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ differ in thefollowing:

-   1. Flower color of the new variety is light pink, while flower color    of the pollen parent is yellow.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISONS

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ can be compared to thecommercial variety Rosa ‘AUStiger’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,150. Thesevarieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics, however‘LIMprofessorleenean’ differs in the following:

-   1. Flowers of the new variety have more petals than flowers of this    comparator.-   2. Flowers of the new variety have a moderate tea rose fragrance,    while flowers of this comparator have a myrrh fragrance.-   3. Plants of the new variety are about 6 to 7 feet in height at    maturity, while plants of this comparator are about 4 feet in height    at maturity.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ can also be compared tothe commercial variety Rosa ‘New Dawn’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1. Thesevarieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics, however‘LIMprofessorleenean’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety have more petals than flowers of        this comparator.    -   2. Flowers of the new variety are a deeper pink than flowers of        this comparator.    -   3. Plants of the new variety are about 6 to 7 feet in height at        maturity, while plants of this comparator are about 5 to 6 feet        in height at maturity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a close up of anindividual flower from a plant of about 18 months old. The photographwas taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appeardifferent from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurateas possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ plants grown outdoors,in Palm Desert, Calif. The growing temperature ranged from approximately10° C. to 38° C. during the day and from approximately 5° C. to 22° C.during the night. Measurements were taken in September. General lightconditions were very bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Rosa ‘LIMprofessorleenean’.-   Market classification: Climber rose.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 15 days at approximately 20° C.-   Time to produce a rooted cutting: About 35 days at approximately 20°    C.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: Approximately 1.5 years.-   Growth habit: Low climber, about 6 to 7 feet in height at maturity.-   Container size: 2 gallon.-   Height: 60 cm.-   Plant spread: 80 cm.-   Rootstock: Own root.-   Growth rate: Vigorous.-   Branching characteristics: Sympodial branching.-   Length of primary lateral branches: Average range 15 to 32 cm.-   Diameter of primary lateral branches: Approximately 10 mm.-   Quantity of branches: 4 to 6 main branches, moderate lateral    branches, 10 to 20 lateral branches per main branch.-   Branches—young wood:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 6 mm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous, very few thorns.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 137B.-   Branches—old wood:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 10 to 14 mm.        -   Color.—Near Green 137B, striated Greyed-Orange 175A.        -   Texture.—Glabrous with some striations on oldest wood.        -   Thorns.—Approximately density/quantity of thorns: Sparse.            Less than 1 per 1 linear cm of stem on average. Young            growth: Approximately 4 mm in diameter at base and 4 to 5 mm            long. Colored near RHS Yellow-Green 144C. Mature growth:            About 7 mm at base, 6 mm long. Colored near RHS Grey-Orange            N170B. Moderately hooked.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and compound.        -   Quantity.—Average 10 to 16 per main branch.        -   Internode.—Average 3.5 cm.        -   Average length.—Approximately 10 to 11 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 7 to 8 cm.-   Rachis:    -   -   Average length.—Approximately 3 cm.        -   Average diameter.—Approximately 2 mm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Lower            surface: Near RHS Green 143C.        -   Texture.—Upper Surface: Glabrous. Lower Surface: Glabrous            with a single small sharp thorn at lowest leaflet pair.            Thorn about 2 to 3 mm long, colored near RHS Green 143C.-   Leaflet:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Average length.—Approximately 3.5 to 4.5 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Broadly rounded.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Appearance of top surface.—Glossy.        -   Appearance of bottom surface.—Matte.        -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green            N144A. Young foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.            Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 143C. Mature            foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.        -   Venation.—Type: Reticulate. Venation color upper side: Near            RHS Yellow-Green N144C. Venation color under side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green N144D.-   Petiole:    -   -   Average length: Approximately 2.8 cm.        -   Average diameter. Approximately 2 mm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Lower            surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 143C.        -   Petiole wing.—Typically 12 mm long and 6 mm wide. Apex            apiculate. Upper surface colored near RHS Yellow-Green 144C,            lower surface colored near Yellow-Green 144B.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Spring until Autumn.-   Inflorescence type and habit: Singly occurring fully double rotate    flowers. Raised center of flower.-   Rate of flower opening: Approximately 7 days from bud to fully    opened flower.-   Flower longevity on plant: About 1 to 1.5 weeks.-   Quantity of flowers: 20 to 30 fully opened flowers and buds.-   Flower shape:    -   -   From above.—Round to very slightly irregular round.        -   Profile of upper part of flower.—Conical.        -   Profile of lower part of flower.—Nearly flat.-   Flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 6 cm.        -   Height.—Approximately 3 cm.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average 5 cm.        -   Diameter.—3 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal arrangement.—Multiple rotate, overlapping whorls.        -   Petal quantity.—Average 65.        -   Length.—Average 2 cm.        -   Width.—Average 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Margin.—Entire, slightly ruffled.        -   Apex.—Rounded, irregularly notched.        -   Base.—Very broad attenuate.        -   Texture.—Glabrous all surfaces.        -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: Near RHS Red 49A. Very            small basal blotch near White N155C. Lower surface: Near RHS            Red 49A. Very small basal blotch near White N155C. Fully            opened. Upper surface: Near RHS Red 55D. Very small basal            blotch near White N155C. Lower surface: Near RHS Red 55D.            Very small basal blotch near White NN155C. Aging: Upper            surface: Near RHS Red 55C. Very small basal blotch near            White N155C. Lower surface: Near RHS Red 55D. Very small            basal blotch near White N155C.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Length.—Approximately 2.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Red 49A.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—2 cm.        -   Width.—7 mm.        -   Shape.—Deltoid.        -   Apex.—Apiculate. Strong sepal extensions.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Upper Surface: Pubescent. Lower surface: Glabrous.        -   Color.—Interior Surface: Near RHS Green 143C. Exterior            Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.-   Receptacle:    -   -   Length.—9 mm.        -   Width.—11 mm.        -   Shape.—Hemispherical.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145C.-   Fragrance: Moderate tea rose scent.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity.—About 70. Very densely clustered.        -   Filament length.—Approximately 3 mm to 4 mm.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS Yellow 13D.-   Anthers:    -   -   Length.—2 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrow globular.        -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Orange N163A.        -   Pollen.—Color: Near RHS Greyed-Orange N163A. Quantity: Scant            or none.-   Pistil: Not observed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Not observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Good overall resistance to normal pests of    garden roses. Very good resistance to blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae)    and powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa) diseases. In a three-year    confidential field trial of garden roses the new variety    ‘LIMprofessorleenean’ remains free of powdery mildew year-round    while varieties planted nearby showed symptoms of powdery mildew.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rosa plant named‘LIMprofessorleenean’ as herein illustrated and described.